Pig Beach
Uninhabited island in Exuma, the Bahamas From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pig Beach[1] located on Big Major Cay[2] (also known as Major Cay[3]) is a beach on an uninhabited island (or cay) located in Exuma, the Bahamas. The island takes its unofficial name from the fact that it is populated by a colony of feral pigs which live on the island. It has become a tourist attraction in modern times.
Nickname: Pig Beach | |
|---|---|
 Pigs swimming in the Bahamas | |
  Big Major Cay | |
| Geography | |
| Location | the Americas |
| Archipelago | Exuma Cays |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Major islands | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Capital city | Nassau |
| Largest settlement | Nassau (pop. 248,948; as of 2010[update]) |
| Prime Minister | Hubert Minnis |
The pigs are known in popular culture as "the swimming pigs"[4] although other islands with swimming pigs exist in the Bahamas.[5]
Exuma is a district of the Bahamas, and consists of over 360 islands.[6] Near Big Major Cay is Staniel Cay.[7] There are three freshwater springs on the island.[7]
Anecdotal history
A single, factual account of how the pigs ended up on the cay does not appear to exist. Folklore and various theories claim a number of different scenarios including pirates.[8]
Some say the pigs are said to have been dropped off on Big Major Cay by a group of sailors who wanted to come back and cook them. The sailors, though, never returned; the pigs survived on excess food dumped from passing ships.[citation needed]
Another legend has it that the pigs were survivors of a shipwreck and managed to swim to shore, while other accounts claim that the pigs had escaped from a nearby islet.[9] Yet others suggest that the pigs were part of a business scheme to attract tourists to the Bahamas[citation needed] while another claims the pigs were stocked on the island in the 1990s by residents of nearby Staniel Cay to raise for food.[5]
Modern day
The pigs are now fed by residents from neighboring islands and tourists[10][self-published source] and the island is unofficially known as Pig Beach by both locals and tourists.[11]
In 2017, a number of the resident pigs were found dead,[12] which caused speculation regarding the cause of death including claims of tourists feeding pigs alcohol or the pigs ingesting sand.[13][14][4]
Big Major Cay is an island uninhabited by humans.[15] The pig population was estimated between fifty and sixty pigs as of 2019.[5] A few stray cats[16] and goats[17] can be found on the island as well.
From Nassau to Pig Beach is 89 miles (143 km) and takes 2 hours by speed boat. A number of tour operators offer both private and group trips from Great Exuma, Staniel Cay, and other nearby cays.
Pig beach has become a popular topic on social media sites like Instagram and featured in the television series, The Bachelor.[18] Some people claim to have been bitten by a pig while visiting.[19] They have been written about in a book and claim to be featured in a documentary.[20]
Media related to Pig Beach at Wikimedia Commons- Staniel Cay
- Exuma
- List of islands of the Bahamas
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